The role of the Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership is to gather and understand feedback and experiences from women, birthing people and their families who are currently or have recently used maternity, neonatal and health visiting services in Gloucestershire.
We do this through surveys, community engagement sessions, hosting interactive sessions on social media and holding focus groups. Our team attends workstream meetings and the Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) board meetings to feed back the experiences we hear about.
The MNVP is independent of the NHS, but aims to work closely and in partnership with services to help inform, challenge, bring about positive change and celebrate good practice.
We are funded by NHS Gloucestershire, which enables us to have access to resources to help us reach more new and expectant parents, and have a positive impact on local maternity services.
Our responsibilities
The Partnership meets regularly to ensure the views of women and birthing people are heard and acted upon.
The responsibilities of the Partnership are to:
- Receive and analyse data regarding experiences and use this to identify trends, risks and learning for the maternity and neonatal services.
- Recommend actions required in relation to experiences, including the need for an action plan, and monitor progress against delivery.
- Engage with people in a variety of different ways
- Raise the profile of maternity services.
- Interpret and disseminate national and other relevant guidance in relation to experiences, identifying actions for the providers.
- Assist in the development of information, written and verbal, for women, birthing people and their families.
Our membership
Our membership is made up of:
- Recent or current users of maternity services in Gloucestershire
- Healthcare professionals, including midwives, health visitors, obstetricians and neonatal staff who work at our maternity and neonatal units in Gloucestershire and provide care in the community.
- Representatives from Public Health and NHS Gloucestershire
- Representatives from voluntary groups who support new and expectant parents
Our aims
The aims of Gloucestershire Maternity and Neonatal Voices are to:
- Ensure that everyone who uses maternity services in Gloucestershire has the opportunity to feed back on their experiences
- Ensure that local women and birthing people and their families are involved in shaping the future of local maternity and neonatal services and leading innovation through a co-production model.
This aim is underpinned by a number of objectives linked to the Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) priorities.
Meet the team
Kathy Meansworth, MNVP Lead
Kathy is the main contact point for the MNVP, connecting and networking with women and families and our members. She has two children who were both born in Gloucestershire, and she is passionate about ensuring everyone gets a good maternity experience.
“I applied to be to the Lead of the MNVP as I wanted to make a difference. I know what good care can look and feel like, and I want everyone in Gloucestershire to experience this. We will all have different choices and hopes for how we want our pregnancies and births, and these needs to be heard and respected; so that women and birthing people feel safe, in control and able to make informed decisions to have the birth that they want.”
Louise Morris, Community Lead
Louise ensures that we hear the voices of everyone in our community. Louise is passionate about ensuring that everyone receives excellent maternity care in Gloucestershire, regardless of ethnicity, age, sexuality, gender identity or disability.
Lisa – Communications and Engagement Officer
Lisa leads on communications, looking after the MNVP social media channels, website and other communication activity.
Anna – Team Administrator
Anna keeps everyone in check, organising meetings and chasing actions.
